μεστόω

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word mestóō, represented by G3325, means to replenish or, by implication, to intoxicate. It is defined as "to fill." This term is exceptionally rare in scripture, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse, making its single usage highly specific and context-dependent.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of G3325 is in the book of Acts. Following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, some onlookers were confounded by the apostles speaking in other tongues. In response, they used this word to level an accusation, saying, "These men are full of new wine" Acts 2:13. Here, the word describes a state of being completely filled, not with the Spirit, but with an intoxicating substance, as part of a mocking dismissal of a divine event.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words in the immediate context clarify the meaning of this accusation:

• G1098 gleûkos (new wine): This term, defined as "sweet wine... the more saccharine (and therefore highly inebriating) fermented wine," is what the apostles were accused of being filled with Acts 2:13. It specifies the source of the alleged intoxication.
• G5512 chleuázō (mock): This word means "to throw out the lip, i.e. jeer at." It describes the attitude of the accusers who were mocking the apostles Acts 2:13. This same term is used elsewhere when the resurrection was met with ridicule Acts 17:32.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of G3325 is derived entirely from its context at Pentecost. It serves to highlight a critical theological contrast.

• A Carnal Accusation: The word is used by unbelievers to attribute a supernatural manifestation to a carnal cause. The apostles were indeed "filled," but with the Holy Spirit, not wine.
• Misunderstanding Divine Power: The use of G3325 to mean "full" of wine demonstrates the crowd's inability to comprehend the work of God, choosing instead to explain it away with a charge of public drunkenness.
• The Nature of Mockery: Paired with the act of mocking G5512, being "full" G3325 becomes a term of derision, used to delegitimize the apostles' spiritual experience.

Summary

In summary, G3325 is a term whose biblical significance is locked to a single, pivotal moment. While its base meaning is simply "to fill," its only scriptural use is as part of an insult. It captures the moment of misunderstanding and mockery at Pentecost, where the divine fullness of the Holy Spirit was mistaken for and dismissed as mere intoxication from new wine.